Living and Thriving

Living & Thriving With Diabetes

(PLANO, TEXAS – May 9) – Breaking out in sweats, not sleeping well, and just feeling bad on a regular basis prompted Gene Isotti to take a trip to his internal medicine doctor at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano back in September of 2009.

After the doctor performed a blood sugar test, Gene wasn’t expecting to hear that he had type II diabetes. “When the doctor gave me the diagnosis, I was upset, but it made me want to take better care of myself,” says Gene. “I work for an insurance company so I see the effect that uncontrolled diabetes can have on people.”

Getting Healthy

Gene’s doctor referred him to the Diabetes Self Management Program at Baylor Plano where he went through an initial assessment and attended six classes that helped him alter his lifestyle and improve his condition. “By implementing the lessons I learned through the Diabetes Self Management Program, I am able to manage my condition without medication, and my blood sugar levels are now better than some people who don’t have the condition,” says Gene.

Getting Educated

While attending the diabetes self management program Gene found it comforting to talk with someone who was positive and reassuring. “One of the things that helped me was how perceptive the people were who run the program and how they were always available to answer my questions,” says Gene. Through the program, Gene learned about what lifestyle factors can have an impact on the disease and also learned tips on eating out from nutritionists.

Getting His Life Back

Now Gene says he feels better and is in much better shape physically. “I’m able to be more active and stay healthy,” says Gene. He works out five to six days a week, and he enjoys playing tennis, working in the yard and light weight lifting. “I had to change my lifestyle, diet and exercise routine, and now I’m motivated to things the right way,” says Gene.

With Knowledge Comes Power

“Education was the key for me,” says Gene. He says that learning about professional athletes with diabetes who still live productive lives, really opened his eyes to the live he could live. “The program gave me all the tools I needed to help me make better life decisions,” says Gene. He says another key to his success was having a great support system. “My wife, JoAnne, went with me to every education class, helped me prepare meals, and continues to serve as a constant encourager and support system,” says Gene.

Learn more about the Diabetes Self Management Program offered at Baylor Plano or get a referral to a physician on the Baylor Plano medical staff by visiting BaylorHealth.com/PlanoDiabetes or calling 1.800.4BAYLOR.

Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano is a 112-bed acute care hospital committed to serving North Texas residents with personalized care and advanced technology on a beautiful campus with hotel-like amenities and all private rooms. Services at the not-for-profit, fully-accredited facility include treatment for advanced spine deformities at the Baylor Scoliosis Center, neurosciences, orthopaedics, medical and radiation oncology, surgical weight loss, women’s services, gynecology, urology, gastroenterology, pulmonary medicine, sleep disorders, pain management, diabetes management and more. Patients have access to digital imaging onsite at Baylor Plano and at the Baylor Diagnostic Imaging Center at Craig Ranch, an outpatient department of Baylor Plano. The hospital is the first in North Dallas and Collin County to offer minimally invasive robotic surgery for procedures through the FDA-approved da Vinci® S Surgical System. Baylor Plano is a 2010 recipient of the Texas Award for Performance Excellence and houses an Accredited Community Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Program by the American College of Surgeons Commissions on Cancer. Baylor Plano is the first hospital in Collin County and one of six in Texas to be accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers. Jerri Garison is president of Baylor Plano. For more information, or a physician referral, call toll free 1.800.4BAYLOR or log onto www.BaylorHealth.com/Plano.

About Baylor Health Care System

Baylor Health Care System is a faith-based supporting organization providing services to a network of acute care hospitals and related health care entities that provide patient care, medical education, research and community service. Baylor recorded more than 2.6 million patient encounters, $3.8 billion in total operating revenue, $4.4 billion in total assets and $513.5 million in community benefit in fiscal year 2010. Baylor’s network of more than 260 access points includes 26 owned/operated/ ventured/affiliated hospitals, 23 joint ventured ambulatory surgical centers, 50 satellite outpatient locations, four senior centers and 156 HealthTexas physician clinics.

Physicians are members of the medical staff at one of Baylor Health Care System¹s subsidiary, community or affiliated medical centers and are neither employees nor agents of those medical centers, Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano or Baylor Health Care System.